Saying the far Left and the far Right are Obama's biggest problem is crap.

[mirrera]

I have been hearing this meme a lot lately.

Chris Matthews Show:
WHITAKER: I think that Obama has to worry as much about the far left as he does about the far right. But look, you know I think that it ...
http://crooksandliars.com/node/24330

The most important thing the far Right and the far Left have in common is that they are a passionate and major force behind their parties' grassroots movements. The most important difference is... the far Left helped elect Barack Obama!

In his book, The Audacity of Hope, Obama in talking about crossing party lines and working with Republicans, does mention that "some people you just can't work with...". I, as a progressive found comfort in that because I was sure he was talking about the far right wing... the "wing nuts".

Unfortunately there is another section where he compares the "extreme wings" of each party as if they are a similar problem. That would be true if we still had an extreme left wing. Who would that be? Isn't the extreme Left Stalin? The extreme Right seems to be fascist and theocratic. The extreme Left to be compared would have to be Communist, and
secular. That wing of our Democratic party doesn't seem to exist anymore, unless one calls the passionate peace and justice movement extreme? Is that what is going on? Democrats calling the peace and justice movement extreme? Really?

To me the comparison is false and we as Democrats must not let that stand. The left wing of the Democratic party is not extreme, but does in fact seem to be correct about most issues. No one can deny that Kucinich's observations are true and the only thing extreme is his courage and his wisdom. What he doesn't have is the ability to do what Obama is doing, mobilizing the entire country and finding common ground. Talking to the middle in order to talk at all.

That is well and good, but I hope when he said "some people you just can't work with" he doesn't discard us as if we are as extreme as the far right. I hope he favors us, because we did in fact help elect him.

Let us hope that unlike the GOP who regularly use the far right supporters to get elected and then proceed to distance themselves, that Obama does indeed, as promised, listen to EVERYONE. We are not asking for preference, and we are not too stupid to see the advantages of his tactics, but we certainly don't deserve to be treated as if we are extreme.

I for one don't find Ray McGovern extreme, and would have been very heartened by someone who actually whistle blew on this administration, being an adviser. I think those are the kind of people the left is looking for. Even if they are not cabinet picks, there are many deserving left wing scholars, authors, activists, whistle blowers, etc. that we want to know are at least part of the conversation. We would like to know that Obama is actually listening to the people that were right about everything, and brave enough to come forward.

Economic Hitman
The Shock Doctrine
The End of America
The Prosecution of George W Bush
Still Broken
Blackwater
Imperial Life in the Emerald City
Still Broken
Armed Madhouse
Losing America
The Price of Loyalty
Chain of Command
Truth and Duty
The Politics of Truth

Just a few of the books the "loony left" are reading.

For the Democrats on this board who want to keep reasonable far left people from discussion by painting them as angry and loony, leave that crap to Rush Limpballs, grow a spine. Have the conversation instead of trying to shut it up.

[patrice]

1. There is nothing on the Left that even remotely balances the extreme-ness of the Right.

You'd need to come up with a MILLIONS of Lefties who believe something as extreme as "Let's have a nuclear war so Jesus can return."

"Let's kill doctors & nurses who perform abortions."

"Let's use Capitol Punishment much more often."

"Everyone MUST believe ONLY in our version of 'Jesus' or go to Hell."

"Race War will be good for America."

[mirrera]

2. Exactly!

[Shiver]

3. I see it more as the fervency of the belief than the specfic beliefs.

The extreme Right KNOWS, without doubt, despite any evidence to the contrary, that what they think and believe is undeniably true. There is no other possibility in their minds; what they know is true, and there is nothing else to it.

The extreme Left has the same mindset, just with different beliefs (most of which I agree with). While the difference is in the specific beliefs, the similarity is in the rigid-mindedness, the inability to consider another viewpoint as being worthy of consideration. Inability in both to see other sides of the situation.

The danger in the far, "extreme" ends of either side aren't necessarily in their ideals (although the Far Right is downright psychotic), but in the perception they have that they are Unquestionably Right.

Kicked and rec'd by the way, as I agree with most of what the OP says and with the way it's presented :)

[patrice]

6. I agree and have thought for some time, from personal exrience, it isn't

so much that we come to different conclusions but, rather, that my understanding of Reality INCLUDES the possibility, no matter how remote, that the opposition is, to some degree, "right", while their absolutist authoritarian cognitive base EXCLUDES any possibility that anyone but they are "right" no matter what the issue.

This is scarey and very confusing since their cognitive mode, in classic conservative Christian terms, can only be described as Blasphemy. When someone mis-understands so thoroughly something that they claim to understand so perfectly, that's CERTAINLY dangerous.

[Jennicut]

4. The extreme left is for extreme peace, so they seem a lot better then the crazy righties

I am more of a moderate leftist myself but our very left is so much better then their very right. They are down right scary.

[Deep13]

5. His biggest problems are a tanking economy and a treasury full of moths. nt

[Forkboy]

7. The argument comes from cowards, simpletons and appeasers.

[alwysdrunk]

8. The Extreme left is NOT Stalin. This is AMERICA!!!

Socialist\Communist policies have NO chance of being implemented in this country. There are NO politicians who could ever hope to be elected in a majority that hold these position. NO socialist\communist political writers would be able to published or get a serious book deal. These views are not represented in the American political spectrum at all.

Who is extreme right? Ann Coulter

Who is extreme left? Michael Moore


There should be no shame in holding views described as far out on the spectrum if you truly believe in your views and values.

[bvar22]

9. Michael Moore is NOT "Extreme Left".

Michael Moore advocates for policies that resemble a successful and widespread European blend of Capitalism/Socialism.

*Strong Consumer Protections

*Corporate accountability

*Universal Single Payer HealthCare (like every other developed country)

*Strong Worker Protections

*Transparent Elections.

To call this "Extreme Left" is absurd.
In reality, it is "Centrist", as the MAJORITY of Americans (Democrat & Republican) agree with Michael Moore on The Issues.

Here is what the MAJORITY of Americans (Democrats AND Republicans) want from OUR government!

In recent polls by the Pew Research Group, the Opinion Research Corporation, the Wall Street Journal, and CBS News, the American majority has made clear how it feels. Look at how the majority feels about some of the issues that you'd think would be gospel to a real Democratic Party:

1. 65 percent (of ALL Americans, Democrats AND Republicans) say the government should guarantee health insurance for everyone -- even if it means raising taxes.

2. 86 percent favor raising the minimum wage (including 79 percent of selfdescribed "social conservatives").

3. 60 percent favor repealing either all of Bush's tax cuts or at least those cuts that went to the rich.

4. 66 percent would reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

5. 77 percent believe the country should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment.

6. 87 percent think big oil corporations are gouging consumers, and 80 percent (including 76 percent of Republicans) would support a windfall profits tax on the oil giants if the revenues went for more research on alternative fuels.

7. 69 percent agree that corporate offshoring of jobs is bad for the U.S. economy (78 percent of "disaffected" voters think this), and only 22% believe offshoring is good because "it keeps costs down."

http://alternet.org/story/29788/

8. Over 63% oppose the War on the Iraqi People.

9. 92% of ALL Americans support TRANSPARENT, VERIFIABLE elections!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x446445

Michael Moore is not the problem with the Democratic Party.
THIS is the problem. Democrats who work for an extreme minority, The Extremely RICH.



The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[alwysdrunk]

10. Ok, just ignore the big bolded word AMERICAN in my post

I was posting about the American political spectrum, not the world's. Yes you are right in Europe many of our left and far-left politicians would be considered centrist. I know this very well. I like in the UK and have for the last 5 years.


That is why we are a center-right (but really just center) nation. In comparison to the rest of the world. In America though, Moore is on the far left and actually is damn proud of it.


Following the politics here in the UK is the main thing that made me rethink some of my previously liberal positions. Such as single payer. I'm now much more like Obama and advocate a "less than universal" health care solution.

I really wish more Americans had the opportunity to really get to know the pros and cons of some of these European policies. There are serious failures in theory and in practice on both sides of all issues.

[bvar22]

12. There IS a Communist Party in the USA.

I would put them on the "Far Left".

Michael Moore is just a run of the mill Lefty in the USA.
There is nothing "extreme" of "far" about him....only the Corporate Media Hype and those who seek to control the perceptions of the country as "Center Right" through their propaganda outlets.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[mirrera]

11. Thank you... you said that well.

I wanted to post that most Americans align with the real left as opposed to the fictitious "radical left", or even more laughable, "the Pelosi/Reid" left. I was too lazy, you did it perfectly.